The Strange Lestrange
by KoriAliB
Summary: Mensa was sure life couldn't get any worse, what with getting sorted into Ravenclaw, as well as being the daughter of Bellatrix. To having an annoying cousin that seemed to love taunting her or following her around, a pair of red headed trouble makers declaring themselves her friends, and a first year Gryffindor avoiding her at every turn. Now The Dark Lord was back? Merlin.
1. Chapter 1

The Strange Lestrange.

The platform was very, very crowded. Of course that was to be expected, as always platform 9 ¾ was bursting with activity and magic. First years mixed with fourth years, prefects flocked and monitored everything, Mensa rolled her eyes as she shuffled though the barrier, dusting her cloak off and looking ahead, she could clearly see the blonde boy and an older blonde man standing in the distance. Mensa ducked her head and headed over to them, avoiding first years and stray charms that flew across the platform. "Merlin, you'd think they'd never seen magic before." The small blonde boy whined as she finally came within distance of them, she huffed and leaned forward, bending to his face, she had a few inches on him, and flicking his nose. "Don't be so rude Draco, not all witches and wizards are as advanced in magic as we are." He rolled his eyes and rubbed his nose, the older male cleared his throat. "Children, may we proceed?" Mensa beamed up at her uncle, crossing her hands behind her back.

"Of course uncle Lucius." He raised an eyebrow at her, he knew she was up to something. He moved through the crowd of students and parents that seemed to part for him, she made a note to ask him if that was a spell, cause she'd just have to learn it. She smirked as she walked ahead of the two of them, taking light steps she moved quickly stepping behind her uncles billowing cloak, was that a charm to? Doubtful. She managed to move quietly over to Draco's side and poke him in the back of the neck. He hissed and batted her hand away as he straightened his cloak and stood straighter, his spine going stiff. Mensa rolled her eyes as she noticed the shift in his behavior, she'd forgotten they were going back to school, they weren't home anymore and Draco wasn't about to let her baby and patronize him all year.

She nodded as she quickly grabbed his hand, interlocking their fingers. His crystal blue green eyes locked with her stormy grey ones as she gave him a small, but loving smile. Releasing his hand, her own fell limply against her side as she watched her cousin greet Blaise Zabini and Gregory Goyle, and watched them disappear into the Hogwarts Express . She crossed her arms as she watched all the first years filter around her, all saying tearful goodbyes to parents. The small ache in her chest seemed to grow as she watched Neville Longbottom climb onto the train, waving to his grandmother. Mensa blinked as she looked to her uncle, who seemed to be staring at the same scene, only with a totally different expression from her own.

He sucked his teeth as she rested both hands on his cane. "Come along Mensa, the train is just about off." She snapped her head to the sound of Draco's voice, his blonde head poking out the window. "I've already got the seats." She nodded her head, her wild inky black hair flying in different directions as she moved quickly, climbing the stairs, she paused and looked back. "I'll see you Christmas Holiday Uncle Lucius!" She laughed and managed to catch the redness creep up her uncles neck before she darted to quickly gain her seat with her cousin. Plopping down on the lush seats she groaned as she stretched and cracked her back. Draco wrinkled his nose at the popping sounds as she watched her bend and reach. "That's vulgar." Mensa rolled her eyes as she looked up to Draco. "So is your face, but you don't hear us complaining." Sticking her tongue out at him she straightened up in the seat as she looked at the group assembled in the cabin. Crabbe, Goyle, Blaise, and Pansy Parkinson. She wrinkled her nose at the other female in the compartment.

"So, how was everyone's break?" The silence was thankfully broken by Zabini as he closed the book he'd had open when Mensa stumbled in, she hadn't managed to see the title, but it was thick and old looking and not at all what the Lestrange has pegged for light reading at all. Pansy of course had to be the first one to start bragging about her family trip to Paris, and oh my goodness those the latest fashion on the market last spring. Mensa managed to tune her very annoying voice out and focus on the passing scenery passing outside the trains windows. No matter how many times she'd seen the rolling hills and flowers, it'd never get old for her. The sun was just now dipping down in the sky and that orange and yellow mixture was starting to take over. She sighed as she looked out the window, and managed not to catch the look Blaise was giving her. "Mensa." Looking back to the group she blinked and looked at the group, Draco looked annoyed. "We've been calling your name, luckily I filled them in that you space out from time to time." She managed to rolled her eyes at her younger cousin as she looked around at everyone. "Well?" "It's time for us to get changed into our robes and things, shouldn't be long before we arrive." Mensa groaned as she looked down at her clothing, the muggle clothes were well hidden under her cloak, the reason her uncle hadn't noticed and lectured her about setting the right example for her younger cousin.

She mentally rolled her eyes, her dear cousin knew she was a lost cause, he reminded her quite frequently. She sighed and climbed to her feet, not before being thrown off balance by the train suddenly jerking to a stop. "oof!" The sound escaped as she was thrown onto Blaise's lap. "Bloody hell!" Draco all but screamed as Parkinson landed directly in his lap, purposely no doubt. Mensa quickly climbed to her feet, right as the lights flickered out. Pulling her wand from the secure bun she'd twisted into her hair, a small wave and small fairy lights danced around the compartment. Draco eyed her as he pushed Parkinson from his lap and onto the floorboards. "You've been practicing your nonverbal spells." A small smug grin slip her cheeks as she eyed her cousin. "Jealous hm? Don't worry wittle Dracy, you'll get there." She could see the red creeping up his neck even in the dim lighting.

"Sh! You don't hear that?" The whole compartment was silent, at first no one heard anything. "Wait, is that?" The sound of nails, slowly running down the walls. "Merlin, it's cold." Parkinson mumbled as she rubbed her arms, breaths of cold air left her lips. With another wave, the fairy light vanished and Mensa was shoving Draco away from the sliding doors of the compartment. "Shh!" Mensa hissed as she watched the door, the shadow outside the door was wispy, she knew what it was. Frequent trips to Azkaban had hardened her to the creatures, truthfully no one could actually become fully accustomed to the feeling of being around the creatures. Her wand was shaking in her hands as she pointed it towards the doorway. Closing her eyes she tried to picture a happy memory, ones with Draco, growing up with aunt Cissy. " _E__xpecto __P__atronum._" The wispy shape of a small kitten raced from the tip of her wand, pushing the doors open and the Dementor let loose a wail and fled from the compartment and the train, Mensa wasn't really sure, all she remembers in blacking out afterwards and Draco calling her name.


	2. Chapter 2

The Strange Lestrange.

The next time Mensa awoke, she was laying on a cot in the hospital wing with dozens of vases full of sunflowers and lilies. A small grin split her lips before her hand traveled up to grasp her skull in an attempt to alleviate some of the sharp stabbing pain behind her eyes. "Bloody hell." She hissed as she pushed the bush of hair back from her face and finally looking around the room. "Draco?" His name slipped out, more a question than anything, her expression expressed just how surprised she was at seeing her cousin curled up in the chair near the privacy curtains that separated the cots from one an other. He jumped as he tried to straighten himself out in the chair, fixing his emerald green and gray tie around his neck as he stood to walk over to her cot.

"Mother insisted I come and check on your well being. I told her you'd be fine." She didn't miss the way his voice sort of trailed off at the end of his sentence. Had Draco been worried about her? She smirked lightly as she looked him over. "Are you upset about the charm?" She could tell by the way his back stiffened that she'd hit the problem right on the nose. "Draco, you cannot possibly be upset about the charm that very well did save your life back on that train." He narrowed his eyes at her, he was up set. What else was new? Mensa sighed as she pulled her knees up and patted the cot where they'd previously been resting. "Come sit." With a suspicious look around he finally gave up and with a huff ,plopped himself down. "The patrounus charm is what keeps the Dementors from sucking your soul out." Mensa has casually let the words rolled out as her cousin sputtered and looked at her with disbelieving eyes. "You've got to be joking."

"Draco, don't you remember that Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban?" She raised an eyebrow as she looked at her younger cousin. "Azkaban is guarded by the creatures, Dementors are known to keep the prisoners subdued by driving them completely bonkers." She crossed her eyes and stuck her tongue out, poking him in the side. "I mean, you're already mad." He rolled his eyes. "No need to make it any worse." They locked eyes, Mensa could see that he'd been genuinely worried about her, she doubted aunt Cissy had enough time to write him already, granted she didn't know how long she'd been in the hospital wing. "Draco, I'd never let anything suck your soul out, or drive you mad." She smiled lightly, an actual smile, not the usual patronizing one she usually wore. "I'd case an Unforgivable on Voldemort himself for you, Cousin."

She could see him stiffen at the mention of the Dark Lord, and she knew that the genuine moment that they'd been sharing was over. Voldemort seemed to be having that effect here lately. Mensa was young but she knew the beginning of an uprising when she saw it. She'd been born at the end of one, one that'd left countless Muggle born witches and wizards dead, or orphaned. She sighed as she watched Draco stand and straightened his uniform before looking down at her. 'Madam Promfrey said you've been cleared to leave whenever you're up for it, I wouldn't stay here too long. They're actual people who need the spot." And with a flourish he was gone, leaving a sour taste in Mensa's mouth and a stone lodged in her throat. She could already see how the school year was going to go. Draco ignoring her along with her house, Ravenclaw, they'd never accepted the fact that she was the daughter of Bellatrix Lestrange, no one had really.

She sighed as she retrieved her wand from the bedside table and with a flick the flowers and cards had vanished, magically transported to her dorm, her blue and gray uniform hung neatly at the foot of the cot. She stood, catching her reflection in the mirror. The wild black hair hung around her face in an inky curtain surrounding her. In the small moment of getting dressed and straightening her uniform she managed to catch a glimpse of her small evolution, from the daughter of a deranged woman, to a student of the most prestigious magic school. Her spine stiffened as her small mask slipped into place, the cool aloof mask, the one that had kept her out of the headmasters eyes. She was biased in the war to come, she didn't care who won, or who was lost.

Her breath hitched at the thought of losing Draco, the nightmare of holding him close as his blood drained onto the marble flooring. Pulling the lapels of her jacket tighter as she pushed the thoughts to the back of her head. No one would ever make her chose between Draco, no one. Her cousin was the only family she truly had anymore. Her mother had been lost long before she was born. Voldemort had seen to it, the stone in her throat was back as she tucked her shirt into the skirt and slipped into her mary janes. Smoothing her hands down the from of her uniform, inspecting for anything out of place. Her wild hair had been tamed back into a wild ponytail as usual. She nodded to herself, tucking her wand into the small fold of her sleeve as taking a final look around the small space of the hospital wing before pulling the curtain and disappearing to her own dorm, to finally be alone.


	3. Chapter 3

The Strange Lestrange

The Ravenclaw house was silent as she finally crept into the dorm in the wee hours after being holed up in the library for the last hours since leaving the hospital wing. Her extracurricular activities couldn't be halted just because she was feeling a bit under the weather, the side effects no doubt from the patrounus charm. A powerful charm for someone unskilled like she was, nonverbal charms were a given, they were easy for her, Uncle Lucius had been teaching her since she was sorted into Ravenclaw. She snorted as she clutched her sack closer to her chest and collapsed onto the plush dark blue cushions on the couch, allowing her eyelids to flutter, until she heard rustling too close to her ear. Her wand was in her hand before she had much time to think about it, Luna Lovegood stood, a large chocolate bar in hand as she looked at Mensa's wand. She wasn't frightened of her though, Luna rarely was. "I heard about the train ride, chocolate helps." and with that she was gone, the chocolate bar left sitting on top of her sack that she'd thrown onto the couch next to her. Luna was one of the only Ravenclaw's to speak to Mensa, even though she was a strange girl she was a breath of fresh air for Mensa, her fellow 4th years didn't even bother giving her second glances.

"Strange girl there." A small smile slid onto her face as she took the bar and looked it over before ripping the wrapping off and taking a small tentative bite. Closing her eyes as she silently sat and ate chocolate. Her life was so full. She sighed as she opened her eyes and looked around the common room, the fireplace crackled quietly, the dark blue drapes blew in the window as the breeze filtered though. She silently stood, gathering her sack as she continued to thoughtfully eat the chocolate bar, climbing the steps to the girls dorm and kicking her shoes off at the foot of the bed before collapsing once more, only allowing her eyes to drift shut once she finished half of the chocolate, tucking it away for later consumption.

The chocolate hadn't helped to keep the nightmares away, the images of snakes and skulls. The reason Mensa was rushing to her early morning potions class with her blouse halfway untucked and she was pretty sure her shoes were on the wrong foot. She skidded to a halt halfway down the staircase, because it had decided to move while she was almost to her destination. "Bloody hell man!" She huffed, pushing her wild hair back as she stomped and waited for the stairs to stop. When she was sure it was stopped she darted, maybe thats why she ran headfirst into another body. "Fuck!" The curse flew from her as she teetered, reaching out and making sure her sack was clutched close. She squeezed her eyes closed as she waited to hit stone. "Blimey George walk much?" "Well Fred, I wasn't expecting someone to plow into me." "No excuse, you've been walking how many years?" Mensa cracked her eyes open when she realized she hadn't fallen. She blinked, and then groaned out loud. "Really? You two again?" The twins grinned as they looked at her, crossing their arms. "Well, if it isn't Ms. Lestange." The way they both said her name in unison didn't give her a particularity good feeling either.

"Not now Weasleys, I'm already late for Potions. Snape is going to have me hung from the rafters." She tried to dodge around them, but they already knew her escape tactics by now, the quickly sidestepped so they were in front of her again. She huffed and pushed her wild hair back over her shoulders. "Now now, no need to rush." She was pretty sure George said it, she couldn't very well tell identical twins apart. "Did you not hear me say i'm late for Potions?" George, or was it Fred? Nudged his twin as they seemed to share one of their little conversations that she was so used to seeing from the both of them.

"It would seem you're in luck Ms. Lestange-" "Mensa." She interrupted the twin mid sentence as she looked at them. "My name isn't Lestange, it's Mensa." She locked her eyes as she stared at the two of them. "Ms. Lestrange is locked safely away behind the walls of Azkaban." She shrugged as she shoved past the twins. "Now if you'll excuse me, Potions has been going for thirty minutes now." She managed to twist around them and reach the door way before she was stopped by them again. "I think we're bestfriends now." She snapped her head around, almost too fast, she cradled her neck as she looked back at the twins. "Now what would give you that idea?" The twins smirked, did they do everything in unison? "Well, you're letting us call you by your first name. I thought only Wittle Draco was allowed the pleasure." She narrowed her eyes. "We aren't friends." She lowered her hand from the door to stare the twins down. "Lets get something straight, I'm not your friend." And without so much as a farewell she pulled the classroom door open and slipped inside, not before hearing one of the twins exclaim. "Blimey, I think she likes us."


End file.
